A Philippine lawmaker and former House speaker, Rep. Martin Romualdez, has been charged with allegedly receiving millions of pesos in kickbacks from flood control projects. Romualdez, a cousin and former political ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is among several high-profile individuals facing plunder charges at the Sandiganbayan, the country's anti-graft court. The alleged amount involved is 7.4 billion pesos ($118 million), according to Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, whose office filed the charges. Romualdez has denied any wrongdoing, but the case has sparked widespread concern about corruption in the government. The investigation has focused on nearly 10,000 flood control projects that were supposed to be completed since Marcos took office in mid-2022. Many of these projects have been found to be substandard, overpriced, or not completed at all. The probe has also implicated other powerful figures, including former Rep. Zaldy Co, who once headed the House appropriations committee and is now a fugitive living in Europe. Co is among several legislators and officials accused of siphoning large sums of money from public projects. In addition to Romualdez and Co, an incumbent senator, a former senator, and several ex-government engineers, public works officials, and wealthy construction executives have been detained and are facing trial for corruption. According to Remulla, the scale of the alleged theft was so large that some involved tried to conceal the money by purchasing multiple properties and even donating $1 million to Harvard University. These actions have raised questions about how such large sums were hidden and who facilitated the transfers. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called the alleged corruption "horrible" and has established an independent commission to investigate the matter. Marcos has also emphasized that he will not spare even his relatives in the pursuit of justice. Presidential spokesperson Claire Castro quoted Marcos as saying earlier that he would hold everyone accountable, regardless of their relationship to him. The ongoing legal cases and investigations continue to cast a shadow over the administration and highlight the challenges of ensuring transparency and accountability in public projects.